Howard County parents, students push for policy reversal on bus services
ELLICOTT CITY -- The Howard County Board of Education held a public hearing for a policy that was implemented at the start of the new school year, which cut transportation services to thousands of students.
The school system explained earlier this year that the "non-transportation area" changes were a piece of a puzzle to aid the logistics of the new staggered start times.
However, for months, parents, students, and community advocates have pushed for the board to rescind policy 5200.
Prior to Thursday evening, there had not been a public hearing about this portion of the plan, Neighbors for Buses Founder Corinne Happel said.
"It's not safe. It's not equitable," Happel said. "It makes it harder for children to get to school."
More than 2,300 students remain ineligible for transportation during the 2023-2024 school year, according to a 60-day report published by Superintendent Michael Martirano and his administration earlier this month.
"To be honest, this is extremely frustrating," Rebecca Jensen said. "We should not have to continue to take time away from our personal lives to try to help you fix this. We have our own jobs to do. We ask you to do yours."
Many people who spoke before the board expressed safety concerns about the extended walk zones that ranged from students who may face inclement weather this winter to violent crime.
The same 60-day transportation report noted there had been an increase in unidentified people who allegedly approached walkers.
So far this year, a total of three instances have been reported in comparison to one incident that happened during the 2022-2023 school year.
Just last week, the principal of Centennial High School in Ellicott City said two students had been robbed at gunpoint in separate incidents while walking home from school around 3 p.m.
Others who spoke before the board said the expansion to non-transportation areas undermined the purpose of the tiered, later school start times, which aimed to provide children more time to sleep.
Parent Linda Adams said in some cases, students have to walk forty minutes or more to reach their campus by foot.
"It is unreasonable for many teens and tweens to walk up to two miles to school with heavy backpacks, instruments and sports equipment," Adams said.
The transportation report found the tardy rate for students who are no longer eligible for bus services nearly doubled from 3.2% during 2022-2023 to 5.9% so far in the 2023-2024 school year.
Although the agenda item was designated as a public hearing, neither Howard County Public Schools Superintendent Martirano nor the board members spoke about the policy following the conclusion of the public hearing.
